Aechmea zebrina

Description

Aechmea zebrina is a plant species in the genus Aechmea. This species is native to Ecuador and Colombia; it is relatively common in the lowland Amazon region of eastern Ecuador and southern Colombia. Aechmea zebrina is a large epiphytic bromeliad that can grow more than 1 metre tall and wide and hold nearly 4 litres of water between its leaves. It typically occurs in the upper canopy of overstory trees at heights of 18–45 m. A single tree can host more than 150 Aechmea zebrina. Aechmea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae (subfamily Bromelioideae). The name comes from the Greek aichme, meaning "spear". Aechmea comprises eight subgenera and around 250 species distributed from Mexico through South America and the Caribbean. Most of the species in this genus are epiphytes.